Safety device



R. A. BACHMAN AND C. w. NORTON.

'N-sm SAFETY. DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.2I| 19H- Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

@Wiz/wtf ROBERT A. 'EAOEMAN lor EASTORANGE, AND lCHARLES W. NORTON, OEWEST NEW JERSEY, Ass'IGNoRS TO EDISON sT UNITED sTATEs PATENT OEEIOE.

ORANGE, o'R-'AGE lBATTERY COMPANY, OE WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY,A-OORPORErcN or NEW JERSEY. l

' SAFETY DEVICE.

Specification of Letters raten/t, Patented Febf24, 1920,

Appricatin mea April 21, 1917. serial No. 163,571.

T 0'` all 'whom t mag/concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT A. 'BACH- MAN, a vcitizen of the UnitedStates, and a andmcre especially to safety devices `for,

secondary cellsv or batteries, being in some .aspects an improvement onthe disclosedin patents of Miller Reese Hutcht son 1,116,893, vdatedNov. 10, 1914-, entitled Safety device for secondary cells,.and No.1,130,977, dated March 9, 1,915,r and entitled Safety device. l

The principal Obj ect of our invention is to provide an improved andsimple safety device foi1 storage battery cells, whereby the gases givenoff by a cell will be more effectively and thoroughly washed and thepotash or other substances which are ordinarily carried away by thesegases will be removed, and which will prevent any explosion of gaswithin the cell from getting out and any impurities or external flamefrom reaching` the interior of the cell. y.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved constructionwhereby the electrolyte in the cell may be replenished, partly at least,through the safety device so as to carry buck to the cellthe potash orother material which has been removed by the safety device from thegases given off by the cell in their passage through the said device. a

Other objects tion reside in the Acombinations of elen'ients hereinaftermore specifically described and claimed.

ln order that our invention may be more and features of our inven-'clearly understood, attention is vdirected to the accompanyingl drawingforming part of this specification and in which j Figure 1 iselevational view, partly in section, of the upper end portion of-astorage battery of the Edison type having applied thereto a `safetydevice 'in accordance with our invention; and

2 is a detail elevational viewV of the upper and. pbrtioa nf theSafetyedevice resident of West linventions each other in suitablemanner.

details of Vconstruction and ondary or'- storage battery.

shown in Eig..1,-looking from theleft in 'F 1g. 1. V

Referring to the drawing, freferencecharacter 1 representsthe containeror'can of a storagebattery cellof the Edison type such as is designedforjuse in submarinesor other electrical power" driven boats, vehiclesor machines. The container 1 is provided with a top Q. preferablydisposed within and welded tothe upper end portion `of the side and endwalls of the container, `as .is`c1`1'stolnary. A coating y3 of semi-hardyrubberis preferably vulcanized onto the outer surfaces -of the walls ofthe container 1 .and

preferablyterrninates a short distance from the upper end of the saidcontainer. Reference characters 4 and 5 represent the battery plates orelements which are mounted within the container and insulated from Eachof the plates 4 of onepol'arity is provided with an upwardly extendingportion or pole vpiece 6 at one side thereof, land each of the plates 5of the opposite polarity is provide'dfwith a similar portion. or polepiecev 7 at the other side, the portions 6 and 7respectively extendingabove, the container 1f through suitable stuflngboxes 8 and Qprovided inthe top 2 adjacent the opposite ends of the cell. Each of the Stuifingboxes 8 and 9 comprises upper and lower members Or plate 10 and 11,preferably-formed of'hard rubber, a member 1Q of resilient material,such as soft rubber, .disposed between themembers 10 and 11, an uppersteel plate 13,;an1d'a lower steel plate 14. The members 10, 11, l2, 13rand 14 of each lstuffing box are provided with suitable apertures or.slots for SISV the respective plate portions or pole pieces 6 or 7,'and are secured firmly together as by bolts 15,'the latter beingtightened so as to compressthe resilient member 12and ex# pand the samelaterally into fiuid tight engageinentzwith the'portions 6 vor 7. `Theco'r'istruction` Vof the jstuing boxes is ypreferably such as vdisclosedin patent lNo. 1,204,481 granted to Charles Norton on'v Nov. 14, 1916and entitledSe`c firmly securedto The plates 4 and 5 are the stulingboxes 8 and 9 and thereby to the' top 2 Of the container for conveniencein as# senibllng, by pins or keys B dlyen through or pole "piecesQpenings respectively provided in ened. The electrolyte within thecontainer 1 Y is designated by Vreferencev character 16.

In addition tothe usual filling iopening (not shown), the top 2 of thecontainer is provided with an opening, preferably midway between thestufiing boXes 8 and 9, for our improved safety device, this opening be-Y ving surrounded by an upstanding flange 17.

Reference character 18 represents a cylindrical casing for the safetydevice or'trap A, which vcasing is preferably permanently secured withinthe cell as by welding the upper-end portion thereof to the flange 17.The upper end of the casing 18 is open but its lower end is'closed by abottom 19 preferabl formed integrally therewith'and dispose a slightdistance above the normal level of the electrolyte .16. Thesafety'device A comprises an outer long cylindrical steel shell 20,whichl is open at the bottom but which is provided with a top 21 weldedwithin the upper end thereof. The shell 2O is, somewhat less in diameterthan the inside diameter of the casing 18 within which itis disposed andis firmly but removably held in place in manner which will behereinafter described. The top 21 of the shell 2O is provided with aflanged opening within which is secured, vpreferably by welding, a shorttubular `member 22. The upper` end portion of member 22 is reduced andprovided with a collar 23 rigidly secured thereto,`which collar isprovided with a lateral extension 24 having upturned lugs 25.

The lid or cover 26 for the upper open end ofthe tubular member 22 isprovided with van extension 27 having lugs 27 received between the lugs25 and pivoted thereto as by a pin 28.

A spring 29is secured at one end lto the eX- tension 24 of collar 23 andisformed with aloof), the free end of the spring pressino' `against theouter edge of the extension 2 when ythe cover 26 is closed, to hold the`lid y or cover in that position, When the cover is opened, however, thefree Aend of the spring 29 slides around the extension 27 and pressesagainstthe top thereof to holdY the cover in open positiorn The upperedge ofthe tubular member 22 is providedwith a plural-ityv of recessesorof'which' is shown, whichestablish free communication between theinterior of the safety device A andthe outside atmosphere whenv thecover-26 is closed. The cover 26 prevents the entrance of dirt or otherimpurities into the safety deviceA. y A

The shell 20`has an outer collar 31 Vsecured notches 30, only onevthereto, as by welding, which is provided with a notch or recess 32adapted to register with and receive the inwardly extending head of apin 33 secured lto the walll of the casing 18, when the Vsafety deviceAv is Vproperly positioned within said casing as shown in- Fig. 1. Whenso positioned, the deviceis firmly butv removably secured in place byV Ymeans of a ring or sleeve 34 having screw threaded engagement with theinterior of tight joint betweenthe casing 18l and shell 20, and thelower Send of the shellV 20 is forced tightly against'the bottom 19 o-fthe casing .18. `The presence ofthe washer 37 Y prevents the rubbergasket 36'from being twisted and distorted by the lower end of thesleeve 34 when the latter is tightened. By this construction it will beapparent'that Athe safety device may be readily removed from the cellwhen desired to permit cleaning thereof and the interior of the casing18 or for any other reason.` Ity will falso be apparent that theprovision of the slot or notch 32 in the ring 31 and the pin 33. on thecasing 18, insuresV that the safetydevice will always be applied to thecell in the same position relative thereto. This is an importantfeatureas the cover 26 is pivoted to the tubular member 22 sothat whenthe' same isl opened with the safety device A secured to the cell inproper position, thesame will Swingin a path parallel to and between theand 7 and consequently, all danger of the cover 26 contacting the polesof the cells or the' connections thereto on the opening of the cover,cuiting of the cell or the batteryV in which the cell might be located,is eliminated.

When the safetyde-vice A is secured within casing`18, as shown in Fig.1, the bottom 19 of this casing also forms the bottom of the safetyvdevice.l The shell 20 device is provided with ahorizontal parti`- tion40 dividingthe shell 20 into twogcomfV partments 41 and 42 and having aflange 40' secured to the inner surface of the shell, as by welding.Communication is establishedof the safety which'would effect theshortcirizo between the lower compartment 42 and vthe annular spacebetween the shell 20 and casing 18 below the collar 31, by Ineens of Yaplurality of notches or recesses 43, formed in the lower end portionofthe shell 20 and i, also by alplurality of rlow the pin 33, withVabove the upper 'end of ,centrally located opening ably slightly largerin peripherally arran ed holes 44 provided in the'shell 120 just be owthe partition 40 and the collar 31. :The'casing 18 is also provided afshort distance dbea plurality yof peripherally arranged openings .45,whereby comymunication is established between lthe in* terior of thecell above the level of the elec- 'trolyte 1G and the annular spaceformedbetween the portions oi: casing 18 and shell 2t'- below the collar31. y i

A small vertical tube V46 is secured at its upper end, as by welding, inan opening located centrally of the partition 40 and terminates at itslower end ya short distance above ithe notches 43 lin the lower end ofthe shell 20. The 'tube '46 serves yto establish communication betweenthe `chambers 41 .and 42. Reference character 47 represents a shorttubi'ilar member which fits closely within and is suitably secured, asby welding, to the shell 20 just above the flange 40 oi partition 40.rIhe member 47 is pro' vided with a bottom comprising a Hat smallcentral circular portion l48 disposed. just tube 46, andan annular`portion 4S) inclining upwardly' from said central portion 48. Hat`central portionp48i-oi'fV the bottom of member 47 is provided with avery small 50. Reference character 5l representsv a .vertically disposed'open-'ended tubular member, preferi diameter than the opening in thetop 21 of the shell 20 within which fthe member E22 is secured. Thelower end of the member 51 is provided with a flange 52 which issuitably secured as by welding, to Athe inclined portion 49 of thebottom of vthe member 47, and serves to hold the member `51concentrically within the shell 2O sofas to provide an annular spacebetween the latter and the member 51. y 'The annular .portion of theVbottom of member 47 ab out the tubular member 51 is provided with aseries of fairly large openings 53 to establish .communicationbetweenthe portions of chamber 41 above ,and below the bottom of member 47 Theupperv open end of the tubular 'member 5l terminates a short distancebelow the top 21 of 'shell 20.

The safety device constructed as shown i andidescribed Vherein is veryeffective in operation,

h insuring a ,much more thorough washing ot the gases which escape fromthe vcell when the latter' isgassing, and preventing any appreciabledepletion of the liquid therein whenv a .partial vacuum is createdwithin the container 1 of the cell. Moreover, the passage off flamethrough the safety device to the interior of the cell upon external`explosion or to the exterior of y internal explosionis `eifectivelyprevented by the construction employed,

through notches The small Y oi!- con'tainer 1, to relievefthe vacuumtherelevel of theV electrolyte 16 is equal to the atmospheric pressure,the liquid within the safety device will normally be at the level L(Fig. 1') or at the level Vof the vbottom of the-lower openings 45.Should a partial vacuum now be created within the container l, but avery small amount of the liquid in the safety device, viz., anamountequal to the volume of that portion of tube 146 ibetween the levelL and the lower end of such tube, will be forced therefrom into thecontainerV 1 by the pressure of the `annosphe're outside the cell; Insuchl event, the air from outside the cell will enter the tubular member'22 of the sai'ety device *through thenotches or recesses 30 in theupper end of the latter,then Vpass through the opening 5() 1 andopenings53 into the tube 46 Aand force 85 4the liquid fromthe lower end portionofthe latter into chamber 42 from whence a likev amount will accordinglybe discharged 43 into Vthe annular space between casing 18 and shell -20and from this Vannular space through openings 45 into theinterior'of thecontainer 1.' Allo-f `the forced out `of vthe liquid having now been'tube 46, airi'rom outside the cell will bubble V.up Afrom the lowerlendoil tube` 46 through the liquid surrounding said tube'k intoftheportion of chamber 42 above the level L of sthefliquid from whence litwill pass through openings 44 and 4'5intothe interior i100 in,whereuponV the liquid. in the safety'device will again assume the samelevel Vin casing 18, chamber 4Q Vand tube 46, which level will be but'slightly below the level L, owing to the very small amount of liquidexpelled from the safety device. VShould a partial vacuum again becreated within t'he containier l, before the liquid in the safetyYdevice replenished,` it will be apparent 'that no more liquid will bethe safety device on the passage-of `airthere-r through from outsidevthe cell, in the manner just described, to-.relieve such vacuum.

lVithwthe liquid` inthe safety device at the normallevel L, should thecell com-1115 mence 'to jgas upon the discharging 4or charging thereof,theactionis as follows: Gasirom within the container 1 enters the safetydevice A vthrough the openings 45 and 44 andforces the liquid in chamber42 I1120 and the annular space between the 'lower end portion of'shellQ0 and casing v18 from `the level L down 'to the level K at `the EYlowerend of tube 46. This causes the liquid to rise vin the tube 46 and vintothe chamber 41 125 ot shell QOxthrough the openingsO 'and `53 .to thelevel 'N5 The liquid nowl stands lin the safety device as shownin Fig.1, and the gas from inside the container `-will 'pass therefrom to theoutside as follows: 13o

disoharged'ffroni 1:10 Y

VThrough openings 45V and 44 into chamber 42, from chamber 42 downaround the lower end of tube 46, up through, the liquid in tube 46 andchamber 4l and through the large openings 53 in the bottom of member 47and the llquid in the annular'space between members 51 and 20 and thenfrom latter, being increased iby an amount equal to the differencebetween the distance from level TN to level L and the distance fromlever. L to level K. Accordingly, the gas in escaping from the cellcontainer 1 will pass through a much'greater head of liquidy than insimilar devices of this character heretofore employed,and willthereforebe much more thoroughly washed to` thereby y vremove therefrom the solidmatter, such as potash or other substances. This is a very importantfeature of our invention, as it is very desirable to remove from theescaping gases all conducting substances and solid material.

The ygas in passing from the container i through the safety device iscompelled to take a stilllonger and a tortuous path throughthe liquidand accordingly will be still more thoroughly washedl due to thesmallness of hole 50, K and the presence of members 47 and lwhich serveas baffles. Most ofthe gas will pass through openings 53 and up aroundthe tubular member 51 before passing out through member 22 and YVaccordingly will strike against `the. annular portion of cover 21 aboutthe opening in vwhich lmember 22 is secured. A consider-l rableamount ofthe liquid in the gas is thus removed and` drops back into the main bodyof the liquid in the safety device. The

cover 26 also assists in this action of removing thel liquid from theescaping gases. Owing the openings 50 and 53 the liquid within member 51and within that portion .of shell 2O surrounding member 51 will beconstantly mai-ntained at the same level. The small perforation 50 inthe center of the bottom ofmember 47 also permits the liquid withinmember 51 to drain therefrom Ato a lower levelinthesaetydeVice.

f Should an explosion occur within the cell, it will be evident that butvery little, if any, ofthe liquid within the .safety device *will` beexpelled to the outside, due to,

'among other features, the employment and arrangemen tY of the smalltube 46, the baf- .inents, the lower vention,- it is to be understoodthat the same is` subject to manyA modifications ,-and

changesin the size, form and arrangement of its parts without anydeparture fromv the spirit of the invention-and the scope of theappended claims. Y Y

Having now described our invention, what we claim and desire to protectby Let'- ters Patent, is as follows: l

1. A safety device for storage batteries and the like, comprising aliquid containing vessel provided witha partition above the normal levelof the liquid therein dividing the same into upper ,and lowercompartments, the lower compartment, having an inlet above the normallevel of'said liquid and the upper` compartment having-an outlet, and avertically disposed openended Vtubular member establishing communica-vtion between said compartments, the lower end of said member terminatingbelow the normal level of the liquid in the lower com-- partment, andsaid member ,being so arranged that the liquid must be raised to a levelabove said partition before the gas can pass Ythrough the device to saidoutlet, substantially as described. f

2. A safety device for storage batteries and the like', comprising aliquid containing vessel provided with a ypartition yabove the ,f normallevel of the liquid therein VYdividing theV same into upper and lowercompart ments, the lower compartment having an n inlet above the normallevell of said Vliquid and the upper compartment having anoutlet, and avertically disposed open-ended tubular member of small crossLsection ascompared with said vessel secured at vits upper end to saidv partitionand comprising the sole means of communication between saidcompartments, thelower end of ,said member terminating below the normallevel of the liquid in thc lower compartment, and

said member Vbeing so arranged .that the liquid must'be raised to alevel above said partition before the gas can pass through the device tosaid outlet, substantially as `described. f

3. A safety device for ystorage vbatteries and the like, comprising afluid containing vessel provided with a partition above-the normal levelof the fluid "therein dividing the same inte upper and lowercompartcompartment having` an inlet above the normal level of said fluidand the upper compartment having anvout'- let, a verticallydisposcd openended tubular member establishing communication between saidcompartments, th'e lower end of said member terminating below the normallevel of the fluid in the lower compartment,

said vessel to take a tortuous path lin the upper compartment,substantially as described.

t. A safety device for storage batteries and the like, comprising aliquid containing vessel having an inlet and an outlet above the normallevel of liquid therein, means whereby gas in passing from said inlet tothe outlet is caused to pass through said liquid and to raise the levelof said liquid to a point above the normal level thereof, and means forcausing said gas in passing through the device to said outlet to take atortuous passage in the portion of said liquid which is raised abovesaid normal level, substantially as described.

5. A safety device for storage batteries and the like, comprising aliquid containing vessel having an inlet and an outlet above the normallevel of liquid therein, means whereby gas in passing from the inlet tothe outlet is caused t0 pass through said liquid and to raise the levelof the liquid to a point above the normal level thereof, and meanswhereby the gas in the normal gassing operation of the storage batteryor the like is caused totake a path through the liquid longer than thepath the gas would take due to the presence of said first means,substantially as described.

6. A safety device for storage batteries and the like, comprising aliquid containing vessel having an inlet and an outlet above the normallevel of liquid therein, means whereby gas passing from the inlet to theoutlet in the normal gassing operation of the storage battery or thelike is caused to pass through said liquid, and baffle means located inthe path of said gas and below the level to which said liquid must beraised before the gas can pass through the device to said outlet,substantially as described.

7 A safety device for storage batteries and the like, comprising aliquid containing vessel having an inlet and an outlet above the normallevel of the liquid therein, means whereby gas in passing from saidinlet to the outlet is caused to pass through said liquid and to raisethe level of the liquid to a point above the normal level thereof, andmeans comprising a hollow shell or casing whereby said gas in the normalgassing operation of the storage battery or the like is caused to passto said outlet in an indirect path through the portion of said liquidwhich is raised above said normal level, substantially as described.

8. A safety device for storage batteries and the like, comprising afluid containing vessel Vhaving an inlet and an outlet above the normallevel of the fluid therein, means causing gas passing from the inlet tothe outletv to pass through said fluid, a baille member extendingtransversely of said vessel located in the path of the gas between theinlet and the outlet, and a tubular ,member said baille member, theupper end of said tubular member being open and terminating below thetop of said vessel, said baille member being provided with a smallaperture within and with a comparatively large aperture or apertureswithout said tubular member, substantially as described.

9. In a storage battery, the combination with the container thereof, ofa safety device for controlling the escape of gas from and the admissionof gas to said container, said safety device being removably applied tosaid container, and means for insuring the application of said device tosaid container always in the same position relative thereto,substantially as described.

l0. In a storage battery cell, a fluid containing casing secured to thetop of the battery container and extending within the latter, and atubular member of less crosssectional area than saidy casing removablydisposed within and dividing said casing into two fluid containingcompartments communicating adjacent the bottom of the casing, saidcasing being provided with means establishing communication between theinterior of the battery cell and one of said compartments above thenormal level of the fluid therein, and the other compartment beingprovided with an outlet above the normal level of the fluid therein, substantially as described.

This specification sign d this 17th day of April, 1917. v

ROBERT A. RACHMAN. CHARLES w. NoRTor.

carried by and extending upwardly from

